In the Name of the Fang
by Capybara
Summary: She would do anything. He would do anything. All in the name of the Fang. UrsulaLloyd (Hopefully an original pairing!) Possibly a bit different than the story line in the game, but please read and tell me what you think!
1. I only want to protect people

In the Name of the Fang By: Capybara B:12-7-04 E:

Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem.

A/N: Hello, my gracious readers. In these next pages, I hope to tell you a decent story. This is totally different from fan fiction that I've written previously...and not so different. I don't know a lot about these character's history, so if anyone knows, tell me and maybe I can fix this story up a little. Please, enjoy the story. This is an original paring, I hope. Please review.

Prelude- I only want to protect others

He looked down at her, searching her features intently. She sat calmly on the ground, and by the way her legs were positioned gracefully under her he could tell that she was from a high born family. Her eyes were covered with the blindfold he had placed over her eyes, for as much intimidation as keeping her from knowing her surroundings. She had long sapphire hair that fell far below her shoulders. The skin he could see of her face was pale, she had a small nose and her lips were held tightly together.

She was nervous, but trying not to let on. Indeed, he eyed her costume and was able to conclude much about her. This woman...no, this girl, was wearing what looked like the clothes of a peasant. At least, what was supposed to be the clothes of a peasant. The fabric was too new, too soft of a material to be the cheap articles one could buy in a marketplace. And her earrings were not the poor-quality gold that was the only type of jewelry that peasants could afford. In each of the curved golden earrings, a small cluster of rubies and diamonds were arranged in a way that indicated exactly were she was from. Those jewels were the symbols of House Andria, a rather small noble family that was not particularly rich or influential.

Had not Lord Trey been killed by a mysterious assassin only weeks ago? He puzzled over this for a moment. Was this why she was here? Of course. And would this girl sitting before him, be one of Trey's daughters? He smiled in amusement. This would be interesting.

"Get up," he commanded her harshly, wondering at her reaction. She obediently stood up and waited for his next order. He grabbed her by the wrist. She showed no reaction. He tugged her towards that door. She followed silently. He proceeded to lead her outside the cottage, which was surrounded by only forest. If she panicked and screamed, as he expected her to sooner or later, no one would hear her. He made her walk into the thick forest, which was only now beginning to turn orange with the coming of fall.

Since she was blindfolded, he had to tell her when to watch her footing and when to make sure she did not run into a tree. After a short while, he turned her around a couple of times to disorient her. Then, satisfied that she did not even know the difference between up and down, promptly lead her back into the very same cottage.

This was a trick that he had used several times before. It made the blindfolded person less likely to bolt, for they believed that they were somewhere completely different, and did not know the terrain. This time, when he opened the door to the cottage and marched her into the room, he made her sit on a wooden stool. In the corner two men stood together, eyeing the girl.

"Now," he said in his fiercest voice, "what makes you think that you can join the Black Fang?" The girl was surprisingly composed for what she was going through. She swallowed and spoke in a voice that was strong and unwavering. "I have come here seeking a place. I have no home to return to, for I...killed someone."

That was not unusual. Most everyone who sought to join the Black Fang had killed someone, and thought that made them worthy. Still, she was so very young to have killed someone already. Not the youngest, but young. He doubted she knew what she was getting herself into.

"You killed someone?" His voice was a quiet whisper. He was always the person who interrogated people. He was well known for his silver tongue. Now he laughed softly to eat away at her confidence. "You killed someone, and you think that now you can join a league of assassins? A group of people who live in the shadows, who get their food from killing people? Tell me: Were you sick after you killed this person? Did you cry? Did you feel remorse, knowing that you robbed a person of the only real possession they had?"

Her face grew paler than what he figured was her normal skin color. Of course she had. Everyone who had a speck of conscience suffered greatly after the first person they killed. He had a difficult time after his first killing, but he got used to it. It never got easier, just less painful.

"I did," she admitted shamelessly. He was startled. She admitted it? No one had ever admitted it before. "But I knew that what I had done was necessary. I had to kill him. Or he would have killed another." She sat up straight and with a calm assurance.

"Do you realize what lives members of the Black Fang lead? We lead lives that we know that any day might be our final, any meal our last, every breath counts off one more second that we were safe, that we can never be assured of again. You, a pretty little noble child..." She stiffened. Obviously she had thought her disguise would fool him. Now it was time to reveal to her just how much he knew about her.

"You killed your own father. Lord Trey, was he not, _Lady?_" Her hands were tight fists in her lap, her knuckles white. That, however, was the extent of his knowledge. He had not had the chance to learn which daughter she was, and therefore, did not know her name.

"I had to," she defended herself. "I know that he would have killed my mother, had I not. My father was...a monster. Every night, he would scream at my mother, and if it was a good night, would only hit my eldest sister...blaming her for not being the male heir he needed. Then one night, he came to our chambers, and I could see that something had happened. He had had a bad day at court, too much drink, and his eyes were blazing with a rage I had never seen before.

"He had a knife...and went after my mother...and I knew if I did not do something...he would kill her...so...I grabbed the ornamental dagger on the dresser...and..." She paused, and continued with a voice that was thick with the effort of holding back her true emotions. "And I killed him. And now, I have no future. So I have come here. What use to society is a girl like me, who has bloodied her hands? But the Black Fang, though assassins, do what needs to be done. Your deeds are...noble. So I have come. I know a little of the skill of anima magic...and healing. Before I left, I was in training to be a Valkyrie."

He had almost approved of her, until she added the fact she was a Valkyrie in training. He had never heard of a person, who had trained in the art of healing, who was an assassin. She would be too in tune with her victim's pain. He looked to the other two men in the corner. They looked back at him, indifferently. She had not done anything to impress them yet, but she had not done anything to ruin her chances either.

"In the Black Fang, you cannot count on your fellow assassins not to politely shove a knife in your back," he stated. "In fact..." He drew his sword and lightly touched the blade to her exposed throat. She did not draw back like most people. Her body simply shuddered from the touch of the cold steel. She smiled grimly.

"Go ahead. Kill me. I am not worth living," She murmured. "I only hoped that by joining the Black Fang, I could help protect others from the type of people my father was."

That was it. She had said the exact ideal of the Black Fang. He only shot a cursory glance at the other two men and knew that they would nod in acceptance. She was not a person who enjoyed killing for the sake of killing. Those were accepted into the Black Fang as well, but were not as favored as those who killed, not happily, but because it had to be done.

This girl had just earned herself the chance to prove whether or not she was capable of becoming an assassin. If she truly had the skills to do it, she would live. If she failed, she would be killed. The Black Fang could not afford any loose tongues.

In one swift motion he slid his sword up from her neck to her forehead, where he deftly cut the blindfold. The cloth fell from her eyes, which were as blue as her hair. She gazed around the room, looking at the man who had been talking to her, and noting the two men in the corner with some surprise. The man who had been talking to her was a young man, just barely old enough to be called a man. He had golden hair and eyes to match. The men in the corner were different enough in age to be father and son. The elder man was just approaching middle age, with dull brown hair, sharp brown eyes, and terrible scars on his face. The younger man had sandy hair and the same eyes as the older man.

"What is your name?" The man asked, still with his blade out.

She looked him directly in the eye and said, "Ursula."


	2. A little flat where it counts, but

Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem

A/N: Hi everybody. Or nobody. Who ever reads this. Here's the next installment. I apologize for any grammatical mistakes or plot holes. I proof-read this twice, but if you find something, please tell me so that I can fix it.

Chapter 1- A little flat where it counts, but...

Ursula stared into the fire cackling in the fireplace. It radiated enough heat to keep the small room at a temperature only slightly below what she would rather it be. She pulled her cloak around her tighter, and breathed in the scent of the fabric. It still smelled of home. No. What had been her home. She could never return.

Now she lay on the wooden planks before the fire in a small cottage. This cottage lay on the outskirts of Jimson, a briskly growing trade city. Ursula had not considered where she would live once she had contacted the Black Fang; she had saved that problem for later. Now it was later. Lloyd, the young man who had interrogated her, had been assigned by Brendan Reed to train her in the basic life of an assassin. She had never really thought on how the Black Fang's members lived.

She knew now. Ursula had been given a week: a week in which to find a place to call her own and quietly insert herself into the normal flow of society. The Black Fang assassins were so effective due to their extensive network of spies. All of the assassins lived as ordinary citizens, only dropping the guise when they were called on to kill. Ursula had not known what she had expected them to live like. Nomadic bandits? A castle full of assassins? Her naivety frightened her. For the first time, she was realizing just how sheltered her life at court had been. All she had been taught were things that proper ladies did. How to sing, dance, sew, and heal, all of which were equally dainty things. All were sure to help her catch the eye of a rich, powerful lord. And all were completely useless.

Healing was the exception. Ursula believed that was the sole thing that could help her now. Though aside from that, she had absolutely no battlefield skills. She could not handle any weapons. Doubts swam malevolently inside of her. The blazing fire in front of her grew blurry from the tears that threatened to fall. What had she done? She knew full well know what she had done; it was just that she didn't know why.

Once more, as she had done for every night since she had killed her own father, Ursula hugged her legs to her chest, and cried herself to sleep, loathing the fact that she could not control the tears of regret that refused to be held back.

Lloyd woke instinctively as the sky tinged pink with the valiant sun on the rise. He quickly jumped out of bed and landed without a sound. His sword was, as always, on the small table next to his bed. He ignored it. Instead, Lloyd reached for a twin set of daggers. Today he could not openly wear a sword, but he'd be dammed if he wasn't armed.

Ursula was sleeping on the ground by the fireplace, just where he had sent her to bed. And she slept deeply, from what he could tell. She did not stir when he walked into the room, and he had walked in loudly. That was the first thing he would have to train out of her.

He watched her for a moment. She was the first he had ever trained before. Lloyd knew that his father trusted him, but never had he felt experienced enough to teach another. This would be a learning experience for the both of them. After some deliberation on how to start about teaching her first lesson, Lloyd walked out to the well and filled two buckets full of water-water that was guaranteed to be freezing. His father had done this to only once, but he had never forgotten the technique.

"Ursula," He said. That was her chance to save herself from the unpleasant thing that was going to happen next. Ursula's eyelids didn't even twitch. Amazing. He wondered when the last time he had ever slept like that was. In sleep, she looked even younger than she had the previous night. He shrugged. She had had her chance. Lloyd then nonchalantly dumped one of the buckets of water over the girl.

She gasped, effectively forcing a good deal of water down her nose. Ursula sat there choking for a moment, only to be assaulted with the second bucket of water. This time she jumped up, staring wild-eyed at Lloyd. He straightened his shoulders, and stood firmly. She was the student now; he had to be the master.

"I expect you to get up next time," He reprimanded. Ursula looked like she was going cry for a moment, then looked up at him. Lloyd hated the fact that she wasn't all that much shorter than he. Though between the two of them, it was obvious he was the elder. His body no longer had the gangly appearance of a growing boy. Ursula was still in transition between girl and woman; her body was lean, but hinted at the metamorphosis to come.

Ursula considered glaring at him for a moment. Then she reconsidered. "I'm sorry, Master Lloyd." It was easy for her to pretend that he was a wealthy lord that she was talking too, and all she had to do was substitute "lord" for "master." He had not asked that she call him anything of that sort, but the name felt right, and unless he opposed it, she would continue the habit.

"Now. Get out of those clothes. You look like an idiot," Lloyd observed mercilessly. She could not go out in that. Lloyd, to the inhabitants of Jimson, was a mediocre wood-worker and laborer. If he were to take her around town, which he had to, she would have to fit the description for someone he could be seen around with. That did not include a noble woman.

She stared at him. He took the hint and left the room, to return quickly with a cheap skirt and tunic.

"And take out those earrings. We do not need to attract more thieves that necessary. Or any people who may be searching for the 'missing' Lady Ursula." With those words he left the room.

Ursula waited until she was sure that he was gone. Then, against all of her will, her teeth started chattering. That water had been cold, and the autumn draft that was coming from the window, although closed, made a tortuous combination. She was thankful for his excuse to change into dry clothes.

The clothes were far made of rougher material than she was used to. Ursula hoped that she would get used to them quickly. When she took her earrings out, she wasn't sure where to put them. Maybe she could just leave them here...

Lloyd returned without a warning. He came up behind and startled her. Ursula knew that he was trying to teach her to pay more attention to her surroundings. A lifetime of comfort in a castle would be hard to break.

"Master, where should I leave the earrings?" Ursula asked humbly. Lloyd snatched the earrings from her and examined them for a moment. "Sell them," he suggested. "You will need no ties to your past. And they will fetch enough to get you a fair start on your new life." He dropped them back into her outstretched palms. Ursula stared at them. They were the last thing she had from home.

Ursula shook her head to clear those thoughts away. Now was not the time to travel down that road of thoughts that would surely lead to tears. She dropped the earrings in pocket on her skirt. This was a novelty. The gowns that she had worn at court had been too fancy for such conveniences. Though this skirt of hers was far higher than she would have preferred, it offered freedom that she was unaccustomed to, but could be very soon.

"Right. Ursula. Now, you and I are going to the market place. I need to buy some wood, and you need to be introduced. You are going as my lover. You might be a little flat where it counts, but no one will question me. What ever you do, don't stand out in the crowd. People have a way of noticing anything out of the ordinary, especially in a town like Jimson. You mess up, just one slip of the word, and people will talk about it.

"Spies do not have the liberty of being well-known. Since you are going to be connected to me, anything you screw up will screw me up too. Keep that in mind. No 'masters.' You will walk close to me, speak little, and giggle when appropriate. Do not act smart or sophisticated. The less people think of you, the better. If I think you are being too much or too little, I'll let you know." As soon as Lloyd finished informing her, her grabbed her by the arm and took her out of the cottage.

After they had walked a short distance of the mile to Jimson, Lloyd realized that Ursula's hair was still wet, and she was shivering. She had tried to dry it, but with so much of it, her attempts had not been very successful. As much as he wanted her to suffer to pound his lesson into her head, Lloyd knew he could not walk into the village with a girl whose lips were blue from the cold. Just because it was autumn did not justify that extreme of a reaction. He had her go back to the cottage and ge_t_ a light cloak to hide some of the hair down her back, as well as provide some protection from the cold.

Ursula returned, but Lloyd could hear her coming long before she actually arrived. How could someone be so _loud_? Lloyd cursed lightly under his breath. He had much to teach her in so short of time. It would be mostly up to Ursula to make sure she kept herself alive, he would give her only the basic framework.

They walked the remainder of the way in silence. Ursula was fairly confident that she had a general idea of how to act in mind. She had seen enough mindless women at court whose only tricks were a large chest and air-headed giggles. Before they entered the town, Ursula made a conscious effort to walk closer to Lloyd. It made them awkward, but then, weren't young lovers supposed to be a little shy around each other, at least in public?

He led her into Jimson, and they were soon immersed in the crowd. Ursula felt that something was different. A moment of thought revealed what it was. No one was looking at her. When she was in court, or outside, someone was always watching her. She had to live under the constant watch of the eyes of people she did not know. Everyone had always looked at her, for she was an unwedded daughter of a wealthy lord.

Now no one paid the slightest bit of attention to her. She was just like everyone else. Ursula had never realized the strain it had been to act constantly, never showing her true self, for fear that someone would see. She had to admit, she felt free.

"Whoa! Lloyd!" exclaimed a rather scruffy looking man who appeared out of the crowd. Ursula drew in a breath. She had to play the part. Lloyd grinned, "Tye! How goes the black-business?"

Tye was a tall thin man with a scraggly black beard, beady eyes, and very dark skin. When he returned Lloyd's grin, Tye revealed a large gap in between his front teeth. Ursula figured she had to start acting like she was with Lloyd. She stood so close to him that their sides touched, and asked in a cheerful voice, "Who's this, Lloyd?" Ursula emphasized his name, adding a little bit of seductive tone to it. Tye looked at her, then Lloyd, then back to her. Then he winked at Lloyd, "Finally got ye'self a woman, eh?" He looked her over.

"Pretty, pretty. It's a pleasure to meet ye'..." He waited for her to insert her name.

"Ursula," She said, and giggled shyly, as she had seen far too many do before her. Ursula watched Tye's reaction to see if he took her word or not. Tye, after he heard her name, proceeded to ignore her. Lloyd and Tye became immersed in a conversation dealing with Tye's "black-business", which turned out to be blacksmithing. Apparently it was a standing joke between the two of them. Ursula was relieved. From what she knew, women were meant to be pretty little ornaments to a man's world, pleasurable to look at and then be ignored. She was obviously so normal that Tye did not spare her a second glace. Ursula did, though, pay attention to the conversation. The reason Black Fang members lived like citizens was to gather information.

Lloyd finally ended the conversation by reminding Tye that he had to buy some wood and then return home to work on his current job. Tye left, but not before a few inappropriate comments directed to Ursula and Lloyd as a couple.

Then they continued on. Lloyd passed up the vendors whose wares were sure to be overpriced at best; most were probably frauds. Things of that quality by rule did not make it to villages like this. After a while, Lloyd pulled her off to the side of the road, and took her behind a tree.

"Now," he started quietly, "You and I are going to a side of village-life that I'm sure that you are not well-acquainted with. That is the reason why I had you wear that skirt. Where we are going, no respectable woman would ever go." Ursula looked at him with horror.

"You-" She gasped, realizing that Lloyd had lied and said that they were simply going to market so that she wouldn't have time to bolt. Lloyd interrupted her, "I have a contact down there. He is a member, don't worry. You need to be on your guard, though. Down there, the only women are whores...but the men should leave you alone. You don't have enough of what most men want...but there are some whose tastes are not normal."

Ursula wondered for a moment if she detected a hidden insult. Then she let it go. He was just being brutally honest. She really did have a small chest. Oh, how her older sisters had teased her...but that was not the point. Here she was, being asked by an assassin to go to a horrible place as his whore!

"Your performance for Tye was good," Lloyd commented. "But you have to act a bit more...touchy when we get there. No shy, giggly girl then. Got it?"

He didn't give her a chance to respond. Lloyd grabbed her by the arm and drug her off.

A/N: This chapter was fun to write. I think it's kind of funny that Ursula has to act like Lloyd's whore! Anyway, please review!


	3. News of her first mission

Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem

A/N: All right readers, I'm really sorry this chapter took so long. My life has been really hectic, and my muse just abandoned me on this story. This chapter was very difficult to write, though I'm not entirely sure why. Also, I apologize in advance—the next few chapters will probably take a while too.

oOooOo

Ursula giggled, but more seductively than she had in front of Tye. Lloyd glanced at her, grinning crookedly. That amazed Ursula, how easily Lloyd could change from being a firm master to her to acting as a young man playing with his whore.

The two sat in an obscure corner of the bar, blending in nicely with all of the other drunkards. Their loud raucous laughter was making Ursula uncomfortable, as were some of the glances she was receiving. To disguise her nervousness, she draped an arm over Lloyd's shoulder. Lloyd turned to her, "Relax, my sweet. I only need another drink before we can go play."

Ursula heard the hint in his words and tried her best to loosen up. She had never been this close to a man before, and could not keep from realizing that he did have a nice body. This introduced her to all sorts of new emotions, of which some frightened Ursula. For a few moments, she almost wanted to 'go play with him'. Almost. That want went against all of the things she had been taught and brought up on.

She licked her lips, which Lloyd had smeared something on before entering this pub—most likely very gaudy lipstick. Ursula wished she had a mirror to look in, then changed her mind. Chances were that she wouldn't even recognize herself.

"Hey. What's with the bitch?" asked a stern voice. Ursula stiffened again. Lloyd sighed, "She's my new one. Don't mind her."

The man who had addressed them looked scornfully at Ursula. He was a middle-aged man with a viscous scar running across his forehead. Ursula disliked him already. His eyes were void of any emotion she would recognize as human—only a frightening lust inhabited them. Finishing his inspection of Ursula, he sat down in the seat across from them.

"Very well. I've got word of a new problem from the east. A local lord, Lord Elliot, has been harassing the citizens there, and my...cousin...has had to give up his farm because of the tax increases. It's gotten damn rough over there, and I don't know what he's gonna do."

Lloyd replied. "That's terrible." He took a small sip of his drink to maintain his facade. "Have I got a free rein here?" The man nodded. "It's all yours. Do what you wish."

Ursula kept her eyes on Lloyd, not sure if she was supposed to listen or not. She had decided on listening, and was surprised when Lord Elliot's name had come up. Lord Elliot was a lord who had maintained a tense relationship with her father, Lord Trey. Elliot had often expressed his desire to marry Ursula or one of her sisters, though it was well-known that he had many illegitimate lovers. Ursula was not particularly fond of him—nor were any of the other nobles. But from what she had gathered from Lloyd's contact, someone wanted him dead. That was an extreme.

"Have fun with the bitch," the man said casually and left. Lloyd did not get up. Ursula could not help from fidgeting. This place was making her very uncomfortable, as was being so close to Lloyd. She waited as patiently as she could. But Lloyd was taking his time! Finally Ursula whispered, "Lloyd, what are we waiting for?" She tried to add a lusty tone to her voice, but it came out slightly strangled, betraying her nervousness. Lloyd glared at her. "We will stay here as long as I like."

Chastised, Ursula shrank back slightly. His tone was not one she wanted to be the object of. Still, though court rules would have demanded it, Ursula did not apologize. She was an assassin now. As far as she knew, assassins did not apologize.

An eternity later, as it seemed to Ursula, Lloyd finished his drink that he had so carefully sipped. With that done, he grinned coyly at her and helped her up in a gallant manner. "It is time, my sweet."

Ursula plastered what she hoped appeared to be a sexy smile, though she figured it looked more joyous than anything—she was glad to finally leave!

The air outside was remarkably refreshing, in comparison to the smoky, alcohol smell of the bar. Ursula breathed a small sigh of relief.

"Okay, Ursula. Let's go back home—though it won't be yours for long. There is much I need to discuss with you, as well as do with you," Lloyd said. Ursula felt a shiver run down her spine. She didn't like the way he had told her that, especially after the morning's episode with the water.

oOooOo

"I can assume that you listened intently to all that Vace had to say today," Lloyd said, carving a small chunk of wood that he held in his hand. Ursula nodded. "Yes master."

"Good. I can also assume that you know this Lord Elliot?"

"Yes master. My family was on decent terms with the man."

Lloyd whittled away at the wood with his knife. Ursula waited for Lloyd to continue on. She had a feeling that he was going to involve her in the mission.

"Apparently Lord Elliot has overstepped his bounds somewhere. That's just as well. Vace should have been assigned to take care of the problem...but seeing as he gave it to me, this is Brendan's doing."

That was strange to Ursula, how Lloyd referred to his father by his first name—but then, he was more of his leader than father, so maybe it was fitting. Ursula waited for Lloyd once more. Half of his concentration was very much on the wood in his hands. She, however, was anxious to go outside to the well to get some water to wash the make-up off. It was bothering her—Ursula's imagination supplied her with terrible images of her looking like the whore she had been acting only an hour before.

"Ursula. As your first mission, I want you to handle this. Kill Lord Elliot, and you will be officially accepted into the Black Fang. Fail, and I will bestow the Fang's punishment on both Elliot and yourself," Lloyd looked up from his carving to stare directly at Ursula. She did not flinch outwardly, but inwardly she wished his eyes were not such a piercing gold.

"How do I kill him?" Ursula asked. Lloyd shrugged. "Frankly, I don't care. Everyone in the Black Fang is entitled to their own methods—as long as you don't get caught, do whatever you want."

Ursula swallowed. She didn't know how to kill anyone, short of stabbing them with an ornamental dagger...Her stomach twisted from the thought of reliving that memory for the thousandth time, and Ursula quickly blocked it out. Then it hit her fully—she was going to have to do that again. She was going to have to watch someone writhe in pain as they died, hear their breathing shudder and falter as they died, and watch the glow of life dim from their eyes. Ursula felt her entire body tense up. What had she gotten herself into?

"Master, how do you suggest I kill him?" Ursula asked, trying to keep herself under control. All she wanted to do was bolt. Lord Elliot was a man she personally hated, as she had her father, but that hadn't eased the pain of killing him.

"I suggest that you use something quick. I enjoy using an ambush and then attacking with my blades...but as I said, it is up to you. Perhaps you know some magic suited to this?" Lloyd fingered his carving.

Ursula nodded faintly. Anima magic, magic that she had learned since she was a small child. Something like that...used to kill? Of course, that _was _the purpose of Anima magic—it was another kind of weapon. But she had never considered using it for that purpose.

"Very well...I believe I know a spell that will work..." Ursula fought to keep her voice steady. "When am I to carry out this mission?"

"In six days—the end of your time with me. After which, it will be up to you to prove that you belong with the Black Fang, and up to you to find yourself a place to live. Members of the Black Fang must live off their own resources," Lloyd set the newly finished carving—a realistic fang—on the desk. "But first, we must do something with that hair of yours. I want to train you in basic self-defense, but with all of that hair..."

Ursula fingered her sapphire hair that went down to the small of her back. Her hair had been that long for as far back as she could remember.

Lloyd went into his room and returned with a long knife. Ursula stared up at him with wide eyes, "You're..."

He deftly cut her hair off just above the chin. Ursula gasped from the sudden cold that attacked her exposed neck. Now Ursula could not even begin to imagine what she would look like. At court, all of the women had long hair—short hair was considered far too manly to have. A bitter smile touched her lips when she visualized the fit her father would have thrown. And how all of the court ladies would have scorned her. But now she did not have to worry about something that petty. She did have to worry about killing someone in six days' time.

oOooOo

A/N: Yes, I know that nothing entirely important occurred in this chapter, but I have to set the stage for the next one—her assassination of Lord Elliot. Also, due to the fact that my life is very busy, I'll probably not be updating Sky Sapphire for a long, long while,because I don't have enough time to do both. I apologize. In the meantime, however, please review.


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